SHO_ROLLER
New Member
As the subject states, I clean off my valve cover but a few weeks later, I find tiny puddles of oil on it. Anyone else have this happen to them? Thanks in advance!
Anthony burn_out
Anthony burn_out
Little oil on valve cover. Problem?
- Thread starter SHO_ROLLER
- Start date
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luigisho
SHO Member
Can you see where the oil is coming from? Is it coming from the seals on the valve cover seam or out the bolt gasket or what?
SHO_ROLLER
New Member
It seems to be coming from somewhere above or on top of the valve cover.
Anthony burn_out
Anthony burn_out
luigisho
SHO Member
That's odd considering the angle. So it's either the higher end of the valve cover seal leaking and running down (seems like it would run straight down though), oil coming in over the sparkplug wires, or the rubber gaskets for the valve cover bolts. You need to try to trace it back to see where the leak is coming from. If it's a bolt rubber seal then you won't have to pull the valve covers off.
SHO_ROLLER
New Member
I took a closer look tonight and it looks like it's coming from the sparkplug wires. Although I didn't think oil could come from there. What does it mean if it's coming from the sparkplug wires? Anything serious 
?
Anthony
?Anthony
sdpatt
Sr. SHO Engr.
The ONLY (Added later: I forgot the possibility of the plug wells overflowing from the oil past the plug wells seals) ways to get oil on the valve covers are through the rubber seals under the chrome plated valve cover bolts or by pouring it on there yourself. These rubber seals are getting hard in their old age and unfortunately, they only come with the rather expensive bolts. However, you can buy 10 appropriately sized O-rings to fit on the smaller diameter waist of the seals so that they fit more tightly in the holes on the valve covers. I have used the 3/4" OD x 5/8" ID x 3/64" thickness O-rings and I bought them at Home Depot.
<small>[ November 03, 2002, 11:02 PM: Message edited by: sdpatt ]</small>
<small>[ November 03, 2002, 11:02 PM: Message edited by: sdpatt ]</small>
luigisho
SHO Member
Anthony, there are seals in the valve covers that fit over each spark plug tube. You will need the felpro gasket set VS50378R from AutoZone.com (around $70-75).
With that much oil you will need new spark plugs and possibly wires. Do not remove the sparkplugs without cleaning all the oil and assorted crap that collects in the plug wells. It will go into the cylinder and cause damage. Run a search in this section and check out procedure tips. This is a common problem with these cars.
With that much oil you will need new spark plugs and possibly wires. Do not remove the sparkplugs without cleaning all the oil and assorted crap that collects in the plug wells. It will go into the cylinder and cause damage. Run a search in this section and check out procedure tips. This is a common problem with these cars.
SHO_ROLLER
New Member
Thanks a lot! I'll change the bolt gaskets and the sparkplug gaskets. Should I do this ASAP or could it wait a little while? The reason I ask is because I'm having my clutch, a CV joint, and the 120K tune up done middle of this month and I would rather have Ford do it. Thanks again for the help!
Anthony
Anthony
luigisho
SHO Member
Well, it depends. If any of us were going to do it our cars then that would be part of it. That may differ from what the 120k tune up consists of in their shop. The 60/120k we talk about doing here I don't think is really done completely in most shops. Find out what is included in their service then decide.
BeatDaSHO
New Member
just pull out a spark plug and see if there is oil in the well.......it could be overflowing and coming out of the spark plug. if it is, you need to replace the plug well gaskets. they are found in the felpro gasket set for 72.99 at autozone.
Greg
Greg
jcostantino
New Member
It sounds like his valve cover bolts are leaking. Mine are too and my plug well gaskets are less than a year old with zero oil in the wells so I suspect the bolts themselves.
Jeff
Jeff
rangerj
Active Member
SHO Roller,
From your description it sounds like the spark plug wells are overflowing with oil. You can wait to have the car serviced to get the gaskets replaced, but you should clean out the oil ASAP.
A "Mini-Vac" works well for vacuuming the oil out of the wells. You can absorb the oil with a rag or paper towels also.
If you have the seals and other gaskets replaced by a "mechanic" make sure that you insist that ALL parts that have a factory shop manual torque rating be torqued to specification. This would include the intake manifold, the valve cover hold down bolts, etc.
The valve cover hold down bolts are VERY easy to break. The tendency of the mechanic is to over tighten these to prevent leaks, and a ****** off customer coming back with a leak.
I would check each one of the hold down bolts to see if any can be moved by hand. This would be a clear sign that a bolt is broken.
Read up on each and every item you are going to have done by a mechanic, and insist that it be done to specification.
The "flat rate" system encourages mechanics to cut corners. I they can do a job that pays for four hours in three hours, then they can get paid for nine hours in an eight hour day.
I would also insist on seeing any parts that are replaced. Hope this helps rangerj
From your description it sounds like the spark plug wells are overflowing with oil. You can wait to have the car serviced to get the gaskets replaced, but you should clean out the oil ASAP.
A "Mini-Vac" works well for vacuuming the oil out of the wells. You can absorb the oil with a rag or paper towels also.
If you have the seals and other gaskets replaced by a "mechanic" make sure that you insist that ALL parts that have a factory shop manual torque rating be torqued to specification. This would include the intake manifold, the valve cover hold down bolts, etc.
The valve cover hold down bolts are VERY easy to break. The tendency of the mechanic is to over tighten these to prevent leaks, and a ****** off customer coming back with a leak.
I would check each one of the hold down bolts to see if any can be moved by hand. This would be a clear sign that a bolt is broken.
Read up on each and every item you are going to have done by a mechanic, and insist that it be done to specification.
The "flat rate" system encourages mechanics to cut corners. I they can do a job that pays for four hours in three hours, then they can get paid for nine hours in an eight hour day.
I would also insist on seeing any parts that are replaced. Hope this helps rangerj
SHO_ROLLER
New Member
Rangerj, thanks for the help! I will make sure I am clear with the mechanics. One thing I have going for me is that I know the master tech at the Ford dealership and he assured me that everything would be done right. Plus, I'm getting a great deal on parts and labor! I'll check and clean out the wells tomorrow.
I'll check and clean out the wells tomorrow.luigisho
SHO Member
My buddy is a Ford tech outside D.C. and if you think they bill for 9hrs in an 8hr. day then it was a tough day or there wasn't a lot of cars to work on. The billing is usually more than that if there's enough cars to work to stay busy that day.
SHO_ROLLER
New Member
Well, I pulled out one of the wires today and oil dripped off of it! A friend of mine told me that this is normal with the SHO and don't bother fixing it. I also talked to the previous owner of my car and he said the gaskets were replaced 7 months ago. What should I do? How hard would it be to do the repair myself?
Anthony frown
Anthony frown
luigisho
SHO Member
It's not normal to keep oil in there. You can fix it yourself if you have minimal mechanical aptitude. It's not hard just looks complicated. Check out the shotimes.com website under care and feeding and look at all the goodies. Run a search here as this has been discussed many many times.
stevetatro
New Member
It is "normal" since it happens quite often, but it's not normal.
Temporarily, you can just pull each plug boot out and dry out the plug wells. They will fill back up over time, but it may take awhile and last you.
It's not a foregone conclusion that your plug wires are ruined. Let them dry out, put some dielectric grease on them, and put them back on the plugs.
If the PO said this was fixed 7 months ago, he's either lying or has the worst mechanic in the world!
It won't necessarily harm your engine to drive like this for awhile. It is detrimental to producing maximum power (I mean, your plugs and wires have been soaking in oil for God's sake!). Get it fixed when you can, but don't think you have to store the car away until you get it done.
Good luck.
Temporarily, you can just pull each plug boot out and dry out the plug wells. They will fill back up over time, but it may take awhile and last you.
It's not a foregone conclusion that your plug wires are ruined. Let them dry out, put some dielectric grease on them, and put them back on the plugs.
If the PO said this was fixed 7 months ago, he's either lying or has the worst mechanic in the world!
It won't necessarily harm your engine to drive like this for awhile. It is detrimental to producing maximum power (I mean, your plugs and wires have been soaking in oil for God's sake!). Get it fixed when you can, but don't think you have to store the car away until you get it done.
Good luck.
jcostantino
New Member
Just as an update, I FINALLY found where my valve cover is leaking the most. The back head by the cam sensor was pretty well soaked with oil. I never saw it until today. Gonna go to Home Depot and buy some o-rings today and see about fixing it tommrow. I was pretty sure this was the problem but I didn't see the oil swamp until today.
Jeff
Jeff
projectSHO89
SHOless In St L
Jeff,
Pull the cam sensor and check for oil inside the housing. If found, you're looking at a new camshaft seal.
For a quick check, run your finger under the housing. If it comes back oily and teh valve cover seal is not leaking, the cam seal is the culprit.
Steve
Pull the cam sensor and check for oil inside the housing. If found, you're looking at a new camshaft seal.
For a quick check, run your finger under the housing. If it comes back oily and teh valve cover seal is not leaking, the cam seal is the culprit.
Steve
jcostantino
New Member
I should have been a little more precice - the valve cover itseelf is covered from it leaking around the bolt hole. I'm going to make sure that the oil isn't fouling anything else. Hopefully it's just messed up a sensor and my weird 3000 rpm stumble is a result of oil fouling. I don't believe that that plug well has oil in it but it may very well have some.
Jeff
Jeff
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